Shelf life of lemon grass



A

Adam Schwartz

Guest
Of course I know that all ingredients should ideally be purchesed as close the the use date as
possible for maximum freshness. However, I would like to know how long lemon grass remains useable.
Is it like most produce, which must be used within a few days of purchase, or is it like garlic or
cinnamon, which can potentially be stored for some time. I would like to buy enough to have some on
hand when I need it.

Thanks, Adam
 
On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 05:31:09 GMT, "Adam Schwartz"
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Of course I know that all ingredients should ideally be purchesed as close the the use date as
> possible for maximum freshness. However, I would like to know how long lemon grass remains
> useable. Is it like most produce, which must be used within a few days of purchase, or is it
> like garlic or cinnamon, which can potentially be stored for some time. I would like to buy
> enough to have some on hand when I need it.

Buy it fresh, peel/stem it, chop it, and freeze it. I find the quality of lemongrass varies at the
store, so I buy it in 4 or 8oz containers already chopped and frozen. That doesn't help when I need
a bruised stem for a particular dish - Usually the mince is fine, though.

-sw
 
"Adam Schwartz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]_s01...
> Of course I know that all ingredients should ideally be purchesed as close the the use date as
> possible for maximum freshness. However, I
would
> like to know how long lemon grass remains useable. Is it like most
produce,
> which must be used within a few days of purchase, or is it like garlic or cinnamon, which can
> potentially be stored for some time. I would like to buy enough to have some on hand when I
> need it.
>
> Thanks, Adam
>
>

It recovers well from freezing.

Jack Freon
 
On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 05:31:09 GMT, "Adam Schwartz"
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Of course I know that all ingredients should ideally be purchesed
as
>close the the use date as possible for maximum freshness. However, I
would
>like to know how long lemon grass remains useable. Is it like most
produce,
>which must be used within a few days of purchase, or is it like
garlic or
>cinnamon, which can potentially be stored for some time. I would
like to
>buy enough to have some on hand when I need it.
>
>Thanks, Adam
>
When I have bought it, it looks dry and not at its peak but when I mince the fibrous stuff, it seems
to work. I want to compare it to scallions and other green onions but it is a tough grass and not a
moist onion-y thing so I would think it tends to last longer than the moist-y herbs. We have
recently planted a pot and it does seem slightly moister when it is growing. It has perplexed me too
as to whether I was getting old or new lemon grass from the store and that was the reason for
growing some of our own. aloha, Thunder http://www.smithfarms.com Farmers & Sellers of 100% Kona
Coffee & other Great Stuff
 
Adam Schwartz wrote:
> Of course I know that all ingredients should ideally be purchesed as close the the use date as
> possible for maximum freshness. However, I would like to know how long lemon grass remains
> useable. Is it like most produce, which must be used within a few days of purchase, or is it
> like garlic or cinnamon, which can potentially be stored for some time. I would like to buy
> enough to have some on hand when I need it.
>
> Thanks, Adam
>
>

Adam - Buy some with a bit of viable root still left on it, and plant it in some dirt. The stuff
grows well indoors, and you'll have plenty after awhile. Peg
 
On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 16:16:42 GMT, Smithfarms Pure Kona
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 05:31:09 GMT, "Adam Schwartz" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Of course I know that all ingredients should ideally be purchesed
>as
>>close the the use date as possible for maximum freshness. However, I
>would
>>like to know how long lemon grass remains useable. Is it like most
>produce,
>>which must be used within a few days of purchase, or is it like
>garlic or
>>cinnamon, which can potentially be stored for some time. I would
>like to
>>buy enough to have some on hand when I need it.
>>
>>Thanks, Adam
>>
>When I have bought it, it looks dry and not at its peak but when I mince the fibrous stuff, it
>seems to work. I want to compare it to scallions and other green onions but it is a tough grass and
>not a moist onion-y thing so I would think it tends to last longer than the moist-y herbs. We have
>recently planted a pot and it does seem slightly moister when it is growing. It has perplexed me
>too as to whether I was getting old or new lemon grass from the store and that was the reason for
>growing some of our own. aloha, Thunder http://www.smithfarms.com Farmers & Sellers of 100% Kona
>Coffee & other Great Stuff

I grow it each year (I am too far north for it to winter over & it is too large to take inside)
and have never seen any Asian store here in NJ that has it in a condition that I would call
"really fresh."

I usually pick as best I can and when I cook with it, peel down to the innermost stalks to get some
relatively moist leaves. It is fibrous & tough even in its freshest state, so I generally pick it
out of the dish before serving.

The only resemblance to scallions, is in use, in the way I thinly slice the stalk on the bottom 2
inches (at most).

By the way...you broke my heart when you ran out of Lehua honey...I wanted to get some for gifts. I
will know better next year & order earlier.

Boron
 
On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 14:52:43 -0500, Boron Elgar
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 16:16:42 GMT, Smithfarms Pure Kona <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 05:31:09 GMT, "Adam Schwartz" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> Of course I know that all ingredients should ideally be
purchesed
>>as
>>>close the the use date as possible for maximum freshness. However,
I
>>would
>>>like to know how long lemon grass remains useable. Is it like most
>>produce,
>>>which must be used within a few days of purchase, or is it like
>>garlic or
>>>cinnamon, which can potentially be stored for some time. I would
>>like to
>>>buy enough to have some on hand when I need it.
>>>
>>>Thanks, Adam
>>>
>>When I have bought it, it looks dry and not at its peak but when I mince the fibrous stuff, it
>>seems to work. I want to compare it to scallions and other green onions but it is a tough grass
>>and not a moist onion-y thing so I would think it tends to last longer than
the
>>moist-y herbs. We have recently planted a pot and it does seem slightly moister when it is
>>growing. It has perplexed me too as to whether I was getting old or new lemon grass from the store
>>and that was the reason for growing some of our own. aloha, Thunder http://www.smithfarms.com
>>Farmers & Sellers of 100% Kona Coffee & other Great Stuff
>
>
>I grow it each year (I am too far north for it to winter over & it is too large to take inside)
>and have never seen any Asian store here in NJ that has it in a condition that I would call
>"really fresh."
>
>I usually pick as best I can and when I cook with it, peel down to the innermost stalks to get some
>relatively moist leaves. It is fibrous & tough even in its freshest state, so I generally pick it
out
>of the dish before serving.
>
>The only resemblance to scallions, is in use, in the way I thinly slice the stalk on the bottom 2
>inches (at most).
>
>By the way...you broke my heart when you ran out of Lehua honey...I wanted to get some for gifts. I
>will know better next year & order earlier.
>
>Boron
>
>
>
Oh I am very sorry about the Lehua Honey. We hope to harvest more in early summer.

Thanks also for the information on the Lemon Grass. I used it in a Thai dish and liked the flavor
but didn't really know what part would be considered the real part of the Lemon grass <g>. We did
plant the root part and now have the pot of stuff. Must go dream up a use for it:).Thaks again.
aloha, Thunder http://www.smithfarms.com Farmers & Sellers of 100% Kona Coffee & other Great Stuff
 
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